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Under Obamacare, the federal government will inevitably decide what kinds of care will get funding and who will get it. Comparative clinical effectiveness research is now a reality as a part of the U.S. government reform of the health care system. As a Canadian Physician, I know this research leads to only one thing – rationing.

Government “programs” have no magic that will reduce the cost of medicine or any other product or service. They just attempt to hide the costs and they are often quite successful at it. After all, it would truly be wonderful if medical care really was free, so the great majority of the general population buy into the argument that somehow the government will provide health care that is better, less costly and “universal”. To the extent that they succeed in hiding the costs, they have created an uncontrollable monster. If the price is thought to be zero, the demand will always be relentless and unmanageable.